Energy Systems Catapult published findings on 24 September 2025 from its Inclusive Smart Solutions (ISS) programme, setting out who may be unable or unwilling to take part in a flexible energy system. The research, based on responses from 4,894 people, found that 69 per cent of the UK population had at least one characteristic associated with a higher risk of exclusion1.
The characteristics the programme identifies are: receiving means-tested benefits; being a tenant, private or social; being over the age of 65; living in a household with an income of less than £26,000 a year; living alone; living in a flat or maisonette; and using a prepayment meter1. Earlier evidence cited in the blog had already flagged people on low income, tenants, and those with a long-term disability or chronic illness as at risk of exclusion1.
The blog reports differences in ownership of smart products between groups. About a third, 34 per cent, of those living alone have no smart product, and the blog says they often believe smart products are not worthwhile1. Among people living in flats or maisonettes, 40 per cent report having no smart products or services, against 29 per cent of the total sample1. Tenants often believe their landlord will refuse to install upgrades, the blog says, particularly for smart heating controls (42 per cent), solar panels (59 per cent), home battery storage (46 per cent) and heat pumps (60 per cent)1.
"Our research, based on the responses from 4,894 people across the nation, found that 69% of the UK population had at least one of these characteristics."
The blog also reports that people over the age of 65 say they could change when they use energy, and that shifting their energy use would not stop them adopting a time of use tariff1. Barriers identified across the consumer journey include hesitancy about having a smart meter, difficulty affording low carbon technologies, and difficulty adapting to new technologies1. The blog states that the result is limited access to low-cost flexible energy tariffs and missed financial benefits1.
Why it matters for households
As renewables make up a larger share of generation, the blog states that prices will vary more by time of day, and that households able to shift their use can cut bills while lowering costs across the system1. For a household, the practical question is whether it can move consumption, such as running appliances or charging a battery, to cheaper periods. The findings suggest that for a large share of homes, that ability is constrained by tenure, building type, income, age or metering arrangement rather than by choice alone.
The barriers described are not only about owning equipment. The blog lists difficulty understanding new products and services, difficulty finding solutions suited to a household's circumstances, and difficulty judging whether a product or service is good value1. Homes that cannot take part may remain on less flexible arrangements and miss the savings that flexibility offers, while still facing the same variation in prices. The programme also notes that some consumers depend on a consistent, stable supply, for example where medical devices are used, and that residents of blocks of flats may face noise curfews limiting when appliances can run1. More on these circumstances is set out in the site's pages on vulnerable and medically dependent households and the wider homes and audiences hub.
What happens next
Energy Systems Catapult says its next blog will share what it learned from co-developing and trialling four innovative solutions for those most at risk, with further blogs in the coming weeks covering how innovation can address these challenges and what needs to happen next1. The ISS final report is available from the organisation1. Warm Home Prescription, described as a new service invented by Energy Systems Catapult, is being trialled across England and Scotland1. No dates for the forthcoming blogs or for any policy response have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Energy flexibility for all, es.catapult.org.uk